How can you succeed in a newly created role?

The world of work and businesses operating within it are changing faster than anticipated; new departments are forming and thus new roles in those departments are being created all the time.

But what this means for you is that it is about to become more and more challenging, such that your next position could have never existed before.

This can be both exciting and a big opportunity for you, after all, there is no predecessor to live up to or previous benchmarks to work towards.

I remember a few years ago, I was expected to take up a new role as a CEO. Well, this is something not new to organisations but it was new to me in the sense that I was going to be in charge of a whole team. I had the unique opportunity of taking the role in the direction I was expected to. I, therefore, decided to start on a clean slate.

I had to bear in mind a few extra details that you should also apply when beginning a role that has never existed before;

Understanding the bigger picture- When I took the role of a CEO, it was clear to me that it is a title among titles, and that the Chief Executive Officer should be one person who is closer to the ground. I understood that it takes a certain, very special skill set to make the kind of CEO that is capable of leading a very dedicated team to achieve bigger things.

Despite my role being different from a new role that never existed, the characteristics of taking up new challenges are the same.

You need to understand well the circumstances that led to the creation of that new role. What are your skills, background or characteristics that led to you being chosen? How will your role fit with the wider strategic direction of the business in the months and years ahead?

Understanding how to measure success in a new role- There’s no one-size-fits-all way of measuring an employee’s success even in an established role, so a newly created one can bring even greater challenges. Much will also depend on your exact role. While, for a sales employee, sales figures may seem a strong means of gauging their success, it’s a much more subjective task to assess how much a software developer's work contributes to a company's bottom line. By understanding how success will be measured in the new role, for instance, if you are to set specific targets, you stand an improved chance of helping to deliver it.

Have confidence in your skills and abilities to make the right decision- You do not have to succumb to the pressure of having to prove yourself within minutes of arriving. You should rather ensure that every decision you make is strategic and informed, and will have a positive impact.

As you begin your new role, you can help to shape it into the position that everyone at the organization – yourself included – wants it to be. As a result, you will be well-placed to make the best possible contribution to your new employer’s success.